Lubricator



Sept. 10, 1935. N. w. MORSE 2,014,113

` LUBRICATOR Filed April 3, 1-931 5 Sheets-Sheet l /fffww- Sept. 10,1935. Y N, w MORSE 2,014,113

LUBRICATOR y Filed April 3, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 10,1935 OFFICE LUBRICATR Normand W. Morse, Chicago, lll., assigner, by

mesme assignments, to Stewart-Warner Cor- 12 Claims.

My invention relates to lubricating apparatus, and more particularly toimproved lubricating means for the connecting rod bearings of alocomotive.

It is customary to lubricate the connecting rod bearings and similarbearings of railway locomotives with an extremely heavy lubricant havingsubstantially the consistency of soap, and which requires extremely highpressure to force it into the hearings to be lubricated. In the commonconstruction or" locomotives, the connecting rod and similar parts areprovided with pockets, each adjacent a bearing to be lubricated andconnected tiereto by a lubricant passageway, these pockets serving asgrease receptacles and having closure plugs threaded into the upper endthereof. Two men are usually required to lubrioate a locomotive and thelubricating operation is carried out as follows:

The threaded plug rst removed from a pocket and one end of a lubricantcontaining barrel is threaded into the pocket. This barrel is providedwith a piston advanced by a threaded stem extending through the otherend of the barrel, and this threaded rotated by means of a long wrenchto torce grease from the barrel into the pocket. This serves merely tolill the pocket with grease and is not relied upon to force grease intothe bearing. Thereafter the cylinder is unseren/'ed from the pocket andthe threaded plug screwed into the upper end thereoi. This plug is nowturned by means of a heavy Wrench and in this manner suliicient pressureis exerted on the grease in the pocket to force it into the bearing.

It will be that this operation is laboious and timewconsuming, and isparticularly -disadvantageous for lubricating the locomotives of fasttrans, it is customary to lubricate the locomotive hearings of even thefastest trains at least once during the rim of each locomotive, and thisnecessitates stopping the trainior a conx` siderable period of time.While the lubrication oi the connecting rod bearings of a locomotivepossible with the ordinary grease guns which' are attached to suitablefittings upon the bear-- ings, yet the provision of an automatic highpressure lubricating unit, such as is commonly used to lubricate thebearings of automobiles, automotive machinery, etc., has not been foundpractical. One of the reasons for this is that the automatic lubricatorscommonly in. use upon automobiles, automotive machinery, etc., dispensesa relatively light grease or oil at pressures considerably less thanthose necessary to lubricate (Ci. 18d- 37) the connecting rod bearingsof railway locomotives.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide an automaticlubricator for the connecting rod bearings arranged to be mounted '51thereon and adapted to supply lubricant to these bearings continuouslyat a rate proportionate to the speed of the locomotive.

A further object is to provide an automatic lubricator of this typehaving a self-contained motor therein for forcing lubricant underpressure to the bearings.

A further object is to provide a lubricator of this type having a motortherein for forcing lubricant under pressure to the bearings, the motoradapted to operate only when the locomotive is in motion.

A further object is to provide an improved 1ubricator having inertiaoperated means therein for discharging lubricant to the bearing under202."

pressure.

Still another object is to provide an improved lubricator of this typehaving a built-in lubricant reservoir and improved means for refillingsaid reservoir in a quick and expedient mannerA 25.1

A further object is to provide an improved lubricating unit capable ofattachment to a connecting rod bearing ofa locomotive and adapted tooperate to discharge lubricant to the bearing under pressure, thelubricator capablevof receiv ing its power from the oscillatory movementof the connecting rod. f

In its broadest form the invention contemplates the provision of animproved automatic lubricator capable of attachment to a moving arm of amachine and capable of receiving power to discharge lubricant underpressure from the movement of the arm upon which it is mounted.

Uther objects and advantages of my invention Will be more clearly setforth in the following 40 description wherein reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevationalview of a locomotive wheel and connecting rod with my improvedlubricator mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, on a larger scale,Y of thelubricator;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lubricator seen from thesame direction as Fig. l, with the cover plate of the motor housing re-50 moved;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line lof Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end View of the lubricator, taken from the right of Fig. l,a portion of the housing 55 being broken away in section to more clearlyillustrate other parts;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the lubricator,illustrating the piston in the position it occupies when the reservoiris filled with grease;

Fig. 'l is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 6, illustrating a changedposition of the clutch members; and

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a fragment of the lubricator,taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

I have shown my improved lubricator, designated generally by the letterA, as being positioned upon the upper surface of a connecting rod I4 ofa locomotive. The connecting rod is of the usual type provided with thesplit bearing plates I6, which are contained in a frame I8 formed at theend of the connecting rod, whereby the connecting rod is secured to thecrank pin 20 of a locomotive wheel 22. The wheel 22 may be mounted uponthe axle 24 of the locomotive in any well-known manner. The lubricatorA, as previously mentioned, is mounted upon the frame I8 of theconnecting rod and secured thereto by bolts 26 which pass through alower flange 28 of the lubricator and are screwthreadedly secured insuitable openings in the frame I8.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the lubricator A comprises a longitudinalhousing 3B which is generally separated into two compartments by a wall32. One compartment may comprise the cylindrical reservoir 34 which isscrew-threaded at one end to receive a closure member 36. Closure member36 may be a lubricant receiving fitting of the type provided with aninlet end 38 in which a valve member 40 is positioned. The inlet end isprovided with the usual flange 42 over which a lubricant compressorcoupling is adapted to engage to charge the reservoir with lubricant. Aport 44 connects the forward end of the reservoir with a passageway 46formed in the lower portion of the housing and through which lubricantis conducted to an aligned opening 48 in frame |8 of the connecting rodwhich communicates with the bearing to be lubricated. The passageway 46is closed at its outer end by a plug 50. A piston 52 is mounted in thecylindrical reservoir 34 provided with piston rings 54 which insureagainst leakage past the piston when grease is being discharged under ahigh pressure. The piston is mounted upon a threaded rod 55, beingsecured upon a reduced shank 58 thereof by a suitable lock nut 6I). Acollar 62 is positioned on rod 56 adjacent the piston and a short length64 of a compressible coiled spring is likewise mounted on rod 56,normally positioned bearing against collar 62.

Rod 56 extends through an opening 86 in wall 32 and also through anopening 68 in a cover plate 'ID which forms one wall of a clutch andtransmission housing 12. A pair of clutch elements 14 are mounted uponrod 58, as well as a worm wheel '16 which has an extended hub 18. Afriction reducing membeicomprising a ballbearing unit 8B is mounted uponhub 'I8 between a side wall of worm wheel 'I6 and the inner side ofcover plate 10.

Worm wheel 16 has a central bore 8| larger than the diameter of rod 56and which tapers outwardly at 83. A plurality of shoulders or ledges arevformed on the side wall of the Worm wheel. Each of these ledges has asharp perpendicular side and a gradually curved side for a purpose to behereinafter described.

The clutch members 'f4 comprise a pair of semi-cylindrical units,having, when pressed together to form a cylindrical unit, a centralopening 8S therein through which rod 56 normally passes and which islarger than the diameter o1" rod 5S. A portion 8l of the opening isscrewthreaded so that in the position shown in Fig. 2, the clutch memberacts as a nut upon rod 56. l0 The units 'E4 are each provided with apair of drilled openings 88 and a pair of compression springs 9B aremounted in these openings to press the units of the clutch apart.

The clutch members 'i4 are further provided 15 with a pair of drivingpins 92 which extend rearwardly therefrom. The clutch is mounted in abored opening 94 in the housing '.12 adjacent the wall 32. A washer S5normally covers opening 65 through wall 32, being adapted, however, to20 enter a suitable opening 97 in clutch members 74.

Worm wheel 'f6 is geared to a worm 98 which is pinned to a horizontalshaft |58 which extends transversely from housing 'i2 to a compartment|02 within which an inertia weight |04 25 is provided, being mountedupon the end of shaft I 85. A toothed ratchet wheel |86 is pinned toshaft |08 and is mounted within compartment E02. Means for advancingratchet wheel |66 comprise a spring-pressed pawl |88 pivotally 30mounted upon a lug II@ extending to one side from the inertia weight|04. A second pawl I i2 for holding ratchet wheel |86 in an advancedposition is provided, mounted upon a pivot pin H4 which is eccentricallymounted upon a stud 35 I I 6 extending through a Wall of compartmentIGZ. A cover plate IIT is provided for the front of compartment |02 andis secured thereto by suitable screw members H8.

From the description thus far, it will be ap- 40 parent that as inertiaweight |84 oscillates upon shaft IDB, due to its momentum as theconnecting rod oscillates back and forth, through the medium of pawl|38, ratchet wheel |85 is rotated step by step. By means of worm I DU,worm wheel 45 'i6 is rotated. As worm wheel 78 rotates, the clutchmembers 'F4 are likewise rotated due to the ledges 85 bearing againstpins 92. As the clutch units 'i4 rotate, due to the fact that they arethreadedly mounted upon piston rod 56, and that 50 rod 5E is preventedfrom turning by a lug |26 upon a lever |20 engaging in a slot, thepiston rod will be moved forwardly in reservoir 34, thereby extrudinggrease through opening 44 and passageway 4S. 55

When the piston 52 arrives in the position shown in Fig. 2, all thelubricant in the reservoir will have been discharged therefrom. In orderto refill the reservoir in a quick and expeditious manner, means areprovided for disengaging the clutch 60 elements 14 so that the rod 55may pass therethrough without engaging the threaded portions thereof.These means comprise a lever |20 mounted upon a pivot |22 in a boss |24formed on the outside of cover plate 10. 65

Lever |20 has a forwardly extending lug I 2S which normally rests in aslot |28 formed in one side of piston rod 5G. A spring |30, mounted in asuitable bore |32 in boss |24, normally holds the lever in thisposition. When it is desired to 70 recharge the reservoir the lever |20is pressed to the left and the lug |26 is withdrawn from slot |28. Asuitable crank means may now be attached to the extended end of rod 56and the rod turned in a counter-clockwise direction. 75

Due to the fact that worm wheel 16 will be held stationary the clutchmembers I4 will be moved to the left during this turning movement,carrying with them the washer 9S. After several turns have been made theclutch members will be sufciently removed from the conical opening 83 inthe worm wheel '6 that the springs 90 will cause the clutch members tospring apart.

A lubricant compressor of the type previously mentioned may now beconnected to the lubricant receiving fitting 36` and lubricant forcedinto the reservoir 34. By this operation the piston 52 will be forced tothe rear reservoir 34. When the reservoir is completely iilled and thepiston forced against wall 32, lubricant will extrude through opening|34, thereby indicating that the reservoir has' been completely charged.

The clutch members i4 will likewise be restored to normal drivingposition by the foregoing filling Operation. As the piston 52 is backedup in reservoir 34, spring 54 will be forced against washer 96 and forcewasher 95 into opening 91 and against the clutch units. Continuedpressure will force the clutch units into driving engagement With rod 55and the conically-shaped parts of the units against the tapered walls 83in worm wheel 15. Thereafter, as when the locomotive is in motion andthe inertia weight is actuated, worm wheel 76 will revolve the clutchunits to advance the piston.

Means for admitting atmospheric pressure, as the lubricant in thereservoir is discharged, is provided in the form of openings I3@`positioned around the cylinder wall at the rear end thereof. Theseopenings also provide means whereby grease which escapes to the rear ofthe piston or other sediment which may collect in the reservoir, may beforced out in a filling operation. A pair of sealed lubricant ttings |38are mounted, one above the transmission compartment and one 'above theinertiamo-tor compartment. The tting in compartment |02 is positioneddirectly above a drilled opening M in the upper end of inertia weight|34, whereby lubricant in the form of thin oil, may be dropped uponshaft |62 and the overflow will run down the inertia weight |04 and passthrough an opening |42 in the bottom of the compartment casing. Thiseliminates any -possibility of having a surplus supply of lubricantments may be entered without disturbing the others, a very practicalcommercial device has been provided.

rIt will likewise be noted that in assembling the pawl and ratchetmechanism, the stud ||6 upon which pivot pin Hd of pawl ||2 is secured,is capable of adjustment so that the correct relationship between thepawls may be quickly and easily secured. The improved method ofdisengaging the clutch members insures the quick and easy iilling of thegrease reservoir.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of theinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention. What I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is: Y

1. A lubricator unit comprising a housing having a grease chamber and amotor compartment adapted to be mounted upon a movable bearing, a pistonin said chamber, a piston rod secured thereto, an inertia motorcomprising a weight mounted for rocking movement in a vertical plane insaid compartment, a reduction gearing driven by said motor, a split nutclutch rotatable on saidpiston rod and connecting said gearing to saidpiston rod for advancing said piston in said chamber, and manipulativemeans for disengaging said clutch from said gearing and said piston rodto render said motor ineifective for advancing said piston.

2. An integral lubricator unit comprising a grease reservoir and a motorcompartment, a pump plunger in said reservoir, a piston rod secured tosaid plunger for advancing the same in said reservoir to expel greasetherefrom, a rocking weight mounted in said motor compartment, and apower transmission interposed between said weight and said piston rodcomprising a pawl and ratchet wheel cooperable with said weight, a wormand worm wheel driven by said ratchet wheel, a plurality of fingerscarried by said worm wheel, a split nut clutch rotatable on said rod,and driving pins carried by said clutch engageable by said fingers.

3. An integral lubricator unit comprising a grease reservoir and a motorcompartment, a piston and threaded piston rod in said reservoir, arocking weight mounted within said compartment, means for transmittingthe motion oi said weight to said piston to advance said piston in saidreservoir to discharge grease therefrom comprising, a worm and wormwheel, a pawl and ratchet connection between said weight and said worm,and a clutch forming a driving connection between said worm wheel andsaid rod, said clutch being rotatable on said piston rod and havingparts capable of intermeshing engagement with the threads on said rod, avalved inlet port providing a fitting for charging said reservoir;manipulative means for disengaging said clutch from said rod during areservoir charging operation to permit the retraction of said piston insaid reservoir, and means automatically operated upon retraction of saidpiston to cause engagement of said clutch.

4. A lubricator unit comprising a grease reservoir and a motorcompartment, a piston in said reservoir for discharging greasetherefrom, a

threaded piston rod secured to said piston, advancing means associatedtherewith comprising an inertia weight vertically mounted within saidmotor compartment, a kworm and worm wheel, a pawl and ratchet connectionassociated with said weight for driving said worm, and a clutch memberoperatively engageable with both said worm wheel and the threads on saidpiston rod, manually operable means for disengaging said clutch fromsaid rod and from said worm wheel, and means operated upon retraction ofsaid piston to cause engagement of said clutch and a Valved portproviding a connection for charging said reservoir, said piston beingadapted to be retracted in said reservoir by the charging thereof whensaid clutch is disengaged from said piston rod.

5. An integral lubricator unit adap-ted to be secured to a reciprocatingelement comprising a grease chamber, a piston reciprocably mounted :insaid chamber, a piston rod secured to said piston, an inertia motorincluding a rocking weight, a power transmission driven by said motorand adapted to be connected to said piston rod to advance said piston insaid chamber, a split nut `clutch threadedly engageable with said pistonrod for operatively connecting said power transmission with said pistonrod to advance said piston in said chamber, and manipulative means for`disengaging said clutch from said piston rod.

6. An integral lubricator unit adapted to be secured to a movablebearing, comprising a grease chamber, a transmission chamber and a motorchamber, a piston in said grease chamber having a piston rod extendingthrough said transmission chamber, an inertia motor including a rockingweight mounted in said motor chamber, a power transmission in saidtransmission chamber driven by said motor, an annular expansible clutchoperatively disposed between said transmission and said piston rod, andcamming means carried by said transmission being adapted to engage saidclutch and contract the same thereby to effect driving engagement withsaid piston rod, whereby said weight will be rendered operative toadvance said piston in said chamber.

7. A lubricator unit having a grease reservoir and a motor compartment,a splined threaded shaft secured to said piston, a rocking weightvertically mounted within-said compartment, a pawl and ratchet wheelassociated therewith, a worm and worm wheel driven thereby, a rotatableclutch cooperable with said worm wheel and threadedly engageable withsaid shaft, a key engageable with said splined shaft to prevent rotationof the same, a manipulative lever for disengaging said key from saidshaft, and means for manually rotating said shaft to disengage saidclutch therefrom to permit the recharging of the reservoir and theretraction of the piston therein.

8. An automatic lubricator for movable bearings comprising a lubricantchamber arranged to be connected to the bearing to be lubricated, arocking weight mounted in said lubricator, a plunger for ejectinglubricant from said chamber, and a power transmission connecting saidweight with said plunger to advance the same in the chamber to ejectlubricant therefrom, said transmission comprising a threaded rodconnected to said plunger, a split nut clutch engageable with saidthreaded rod, resilient means for forcing said split nut clutch meansinto engagement with said threaded rod when said plunger is adjacent oneend of its stroke, a worm wheel freely rotatable upon said threaded rodand rotated by movement of said inertia weight, and means associatedwith said worm wheel to rotate said clutch when the latter is inengagement with said rod.

9. In a lubricator unit, a grease chamber having a valved inlet and adischarge port at one end thereof, a piston reciprocably mounted in saidchamber having a threaded rod extending through the end of said chamberopposite said ports, a rotatable clutch member threadedly engageablewith said rod, an inertia motor including a rocking weight, mechanismdriven thereby and cooperable with said clutch member to advance saidpiston toward the discharge end of said chamber to expel the contentsthereof through the discharge port; and manipulative means comprising, amanually operable lever having means for holding said threaded rodagainst rotative movement, and a projection on said rod cooperable witha crank for disengaging said clutch member from said rod; said pistonbeing retractible in said chamber by the charging thereof through saidvalved inlet port when said clutch member is disengaged from said rod.

10. In a lubricator unit of the class described, a piston, a piston rodsecured thereto, a worm wheel freely rotatable with respect to said rod,a split nut clutch threadedly engageable with said rod and operativelyconnecting said piston and said worm wheel, a spring carried by said rodadjacent said piston, and means carried by said worm wheel for engagingsaid clutch, said spring adapted to urge said clutch into engagementwith said worm wheel when the piston is at one end of its stroke.

ll. An inertia operated lubricator unit comprising a piston, a pistonrod, a worm wheel freely rotatable with respect to said rod andconnected to the driving mechanism, an annular expansible cone-facedclutch threadedly engageable with said rod and operatively disposedbetween said piston and said wheel, driving pins carried by said clutch,camming lugs carried on said wheel cooperable with said cone-facedclutch, and a spring on said rod adjacent said piston for urging saidclutch into engagement with said camming lugs for effecting the threadedengagement of said clutch with said rod when said piston is at one endof its stroke.

12. A lubricator unit comprising a housing having a grease chamber and amotor compartment and adapted for attachment to a movable bearing, apiston in said chamber' movable for expelling grease therefrom, athreaded piston rod secured to said piston for moving the same, aninertia weight positioned in said motor compartment and operable uponmovement of the bearing for providing a source of power for moving saidpiston to expel grease from said chamber, a reduction gearing driven bythe movement of said inertia weight, a clutch member operable forconnecting said reduction gearing to said threaded piston rod for movingsaid piston in said chamber, manually operable means to disengage saidclutch member from both said reduction gearing and said threaded pistonrod to render said inertia weight ineffective for moving said piston,and means operable by said piston upon movement thereof to its retractedposition to cause engagement of said clutch member.

NORMAND W. MORSE.

